Mayor criticises Government’s proposals to water down green policies

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has accused ministers of embracing the policies of ‘climate delayers’ by proposing national standards for carbon reduction in new homes that are lower and slower than those already being implemented in London.

The Government’s proposed ‘2025 Future Homes Standard’ sets carbon reduction targets for new homes that are 25 per cent lower than London’s ‘Zero-Carbon Home’ standard introduced in the Mayor’s 2016 London Plan.

This shortfall will be made worse by proposed Government amendments to the Planning Act 2008, which would withdraw local authorities’ powers to set tougher carbon reduction building standards than those set by ministers. This would effectively force London to adopt lower standards and slow its progress towards net-zero carbon emissions. Sadiq has recently said he wants London to be carbon-neutral by 2030.

Housebuilders have been embracing London’s higher standards for several years without this affecting their ability to build the homes London desperately needs. As a result of London’s higher standards, in 2018 alone, the capital achieved a carbon reduction of 39,000 tonnes of CO2 from new strategic development. London’s standards have also led to a boost in solar panel installations, with 5.5 MW of new electricity capacity created in London in 2018 as a result of the Mayor’s policies.

The Mayor has written to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick, asking him to rethink the proposed new targets.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “These shortsighted proposals are another example of how the Government is delaying urgent action on the climate emergency we are facing.

“Hundreds of local authorities across England have declared climate emergencies – yet these proposals would hold back both the councils and developers who want to go further and faster to decarbonise new homes. London has shown how higher carbon reduction targets can be met while still delivering much-needed new homes.

“In a year in which the UK Government is supposed to be showing global leadership on climate change by hosting COP26, the government must show willingness to act and drop these damaging proposals – we cannot go forward by going back.”

The Government is proposing a 75 per cent target to come into force in 2025 – nine years after London successfully implemented a zero-carbon standard.

The Government’s proposals are out of step with widespread public support for going further and faster on climate action. Recent opinion polling found 70 per cent of people questioned said they supported bringing forward the national net zero target from 2050 to 2030, whilst at least 265 local authorities have now declared a climate emergency ¹. The Government are also yet to set out a plan to meet the net-zero target adopted in June 2019.

Doug Parr, Policy Director at Greenpeace UK said: “In the midst of a climate emergency the government should be aiming for the highest standard for new homes, not lower them. Instead of showing leadership, the government is actually dragging some local authorities including London backwards just as carbon emissions from homes remain stubbornly high. Ministers should push for new homes that, instead of lining the builders' pockets and heating up the planet, keep people warm and save on their fuel bills as well. Boris Johnson cannot keep saying Britain is leading the world on climate when his government’s proposals don’t keep up with city mayors."

Kate Gordon, senior planner at Friends of the Earth, said: "At a time of climate crisis the government needs to be making all buildings energy efficient. Instead it's stifling ambition and innovation that places such as London are bringing about. If the government is serious about the climate emergency it should allow local authorities to set their own planning policies to deliver zero carbon, energy efficient development - as the London Plan rightly seeks to do. Building and development standards everywhere need to be made much tighter, otherwise we're left with homes that will need costly retrofits in the future. It is completely right that we plan and build homes to the highest climate standards.”

Camden Council Cabinet Member for a Sustainability, Cllr Adam Harrison said: “Camden, like many other local authorities nationally, has declared a climate emergency. We need national policies that support our zero carbon ambitions, yet the Future Homes Standard promises to remove our ability to retain our existing and more ambitious zero carbon homes standards even when it has proven to be deliverable across London since 2016. Government must not tie our hands – we will strongly oppose the proposals.”

Tor Burrows, Director of Sustainability and Innovation for Grosvenor Britain & Ireland, said: “The Future Homes Standard should be introduced before 2025 and include embodied carbon requirements as well as high fabric efficiency. We have to fix the bar high and all level up to the standards being set in London.”